WORK AND PENSIONS

Workplace Health and Safety

Des Browne: Today, the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) are launching a new strategy for workplace health and safety in Great Britain. We fully support this strategy, which is based on the experience of the last 30 years, evidence available now and extensive consultations with a wide range of stakeholders.
	The strategy represents a significant change of approach for the health and safety system as a whole and the role of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities within that system. It sets out HSE's ambition to be a modern regulator, responding to new issues in the changing world of work. It emphasises the focus on mging risks, not trying to eliminate them. The strategy also places a greater emphasis on seeking improvements in occupational health.
	To make the greatest impact, HSE and its partners will focus more resource on those areas of greatest need and less where the risks are well mged.
	The strategy recognises that HSE cannot achieve improvements on its own. The whole of the health and safety system needs to be involved. This means forming close partnerships with local authorities and other stakeholders.
	The strategy also recognises that the people best placed to make workplaces safe are the staff and mgers who work in them. To support them there is a need to promote greater involvement of workers and to make accessible to them clearer and simpler advice and information.
	Over the last 30 years there have been significant improvements in workplace safety. We want to see similar improvements in occupational health. That will require working together with other health organisations.
	Improvements in occupational health have a close synergy with the wider Department for Work and Pensions agenda of preventing people from leaving work due to ill health and helping people move back into work. Preventing accidents and ill health at work plays a major role in this agenda, particularly in relation to occupational health issues such as stress and musculoskeletal disorders.
	The Government want to see occupational health and safety as a cornerstone of a civilised society and with that achieve a record of both health and safety that leads the world. Much has been done, but there is more to do. The strategy is needed to help us to tackle new issues, especially in occupational ill health and to ensure that workplace safety continues to improve.
	We fully endorse the new strategy, which has been placed in the Library.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Historic Environment

Richard Caborn: I would like to update the House on the progress made on implementing the recommendations contained in the Government's statement on the historic environment, "A Force for Our Future", since March 2003.
	The statement, published in December 2001, articulates the Government's vision for the historic environment at the heart of national life and sets an agenda for unlocking its full potential. This programme of action emphasises the value of the historic environment as an educational resource, its relevance to all members of the community and how it can work as an economic and regenerative asset in urban and rural settings.
	The Government will continue to take this agenda forward in a number of ways, in particular through the review of heritage protection, English Heritage's annual state of the historic environment reports, the DCMS/DfES Joint Committee on Built Environment Education and English Heritage's funding agreement, which is co-sponsored by DCMS, DEFRA and ODPM.
	Since March 2003 the following has been achieved:
	June 2003
	The Government historic estate unit published "Protocol for the Care of the Government Estate 2003" recommending its adoption by Government Departments who own and mge historic estate and providing a model of good practice for all publicly funded bodies.
	The Historic Houses Association launched www.historichousevenues.com, an online resource listing privately owned historic houses and gardens throughout Britain which offer exclusive facilities for pre-booked groups and individual visits, special events, catering and accommodation. The aim is to increase public access and develop commercial activity.
	July 2003
	English Heritage published "Streamlining Listed Building Consent: Lessons from the Use of Mgement Agreements", a report on the effectiveness of listed building consent mgement guidelines and their potential to streamline the listed building consent regime.
	The Architectural Heritage Fund, with support from English Heritage and Cadw, launched an online directory of sources of funding available for rescuing and restoring historic buildings at www.ffhb.org.uk
	English Heritage published "Mging Local Authority Heritage Assets—some guiding principles for decision-makers", promoting best practice in the mgement of council-owned heritage assets and high quality design in new work related to them, including public spaces.
	The Minister for Media and Heritage launched "Protecting Our Historic Environment: Making the System Work Better", a consultation document aiming to improve and refocus the way in which England's historic environment receives statutory protection.
	The Government published its consultation "Historic Environment Records: Benchmarks for Good Practice", inviting views on how best to ensure that the rich resources currently held in sites and monuments records across the country can be developed and made available to professionals, schools and colleges as well as the wider public.
	English Heritage convened a series of meetings to develop and share best practice on access for people with disabilities to historic properties and sites.
	August 2003
	English Heritage published its consultation document "Local Authority Performance Indicators for Historic Environment Services", seeking views on developing a performance assessment framework for local authorities mging the historic environment.
	The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport launched the DCMS/DfES Joint Advisory Committee on Built Environment Education, which will focus on how best to promote the built environment as an educational resource.
	September 2003
	Six new commissioners were appointed to the English Heritage Commission, including for the first time a commissioner responsible for access and outreach issues.
	Ministers in DCMS, ODPM and DEFRA signed an innovative joint funding agreement for English Heritage. This recognises for the first time the contribution English Heritage makes to the delivery of all three Departments' targets.
	Heritage open days 2003, organised by the Civic Trust with support from English Heritage, attracted over 800,000 visitors to 2,512 properties and activities. There was a significant increase in the number of participating properties and activities, local organisers and volunteers.
	The Historic Houses Association and English Heritage, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, launched a pilot scheme to assist private owners of historic houses to develop education programmes.
	October 2003
	Royal Assent was given to the Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Bill.
	The UK signed a Co-operation Agreement with UNESCO, which will enable developing countries to benefit from UK heritage and conservation expertise. UK experts will assist developing countries with identifying world heritage sites and preparing mgement plans and conservation strategies for both cultural and natural world heritages sites.
	The Minister for Media and Heritage launched the National Heritage Training Group's business plan "Building on the Past: Training for the Future". It sets out the group's plans to tackle the skills deficit in traditional building crafts, including a traditional building crafts training plan.
	November 2003
	"Heritage Counts", the second state of the historic environment report, was launched:
	Key themes covered were: historic environment assets; the economic value of the historic environment; outreach, knowledge and access; indicators, including a consultation on a framework for historic environment indicators.
	The report published MORI research commissioned by English Heritage, with funds from DCMS and the Heritage Lottery Fund, to establish who is not engaging with the historic environment and why.
	It also published research produced by Heritage Link into the contribution made by volunteers to the historic environment.
	English Heritage published "Easy Access to Historic Properties" for consultation. The publication gives guidance to those responsible for the historic environment on the provision of access for people with disabilities. The updated version takes into account the implementation of Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the updated Part M of the Building Regulations.
	December 2003
	The 2003 Pre-Budget Report confirmed that funding for the Listed Places of Worship grant scheme would continue until the end of March 2006.
	The Disability Rights Commission, in association with English Heritage, held a consultative conference on making historic buildings accessible to people with disabilities.
	The Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Act came into effect.

HEALTH

Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS Trust

John Hutton: On 12 February my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced that he would support the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS trust in its bid to be part of the first wave of NHS foundation trusts. The NHS trust can now apply to the office of the Independent Regulator, chaired by Bill Moyes, for authorisation as an NHS foundation trust, and set up new governance arrangements including recruiting members and holding elections to the Board of Governors.
	The Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS trust is now working towards authorisation as an NHS foundation trust along with 24 other NHS trusts.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Race Relations (Amendment) Act

Beverley Hughes: I have today made a technical amendment to the authorisation under section 19D of the Race Relations Act which enables immigration officers to prioritise arriving passengers for examination and immigration offenders for removal on the ground of nationality. The change is that nationalities will be prioritised if adverse decisions and immigration breaches reach more than 50 in total and five of every 1,000 admitted persons of a particular nationality.
	The change is necessary to keep the system of prioritisation mgeable in the light of improvements to data collection. We do not anticipate that this will make a significant difference to the number of nationalities prioritised and decisions will continue to be made on the individual merits of each case.

Beverley Hughes: I have today made an authorisation under section 19D of the Race Relations Act 1976 (as amended) which will enable immigration officers to prioritise the examination of passengers of Somali national origin. For a period of three months this will allow such people to be examined more rigorously than would otherwise be the case.
	The purpose of this measure is to enable the immigration service to obtain information on the number and profiles of Somali-born passengers entering the UK. The aim of this measure is to establish how the large numbers of in-country asylum applicants claiming as Somali, apparently without documentation, enter the UK.

Beverley Hughes: I have today made an authorisation under section 19D of the Race Relations Act 1976 as amended which enables the Home Office to implement measures targeting the top five nationalities in terms of third country/Dublin cases for additional examination on the grounds of nationality.
	This change will enable officials to compare the fingerprints of asylum seekers of these five nationalities against other governments' fingerprint databases of asylum seekers, failed asylum seekers and those granted some form of leave to remain.
	This change also allows officials to compare the details of asylum seekers from the five prioritised nationalities with the details of individuals originally from those countries but now holding a form of immigration status elsewhere who have been granted a visa to travel to the UK.
	The purpose of these measures is to identify individuals who have claimed asylum, are failed asylum seekers or absconders, or who already have some form of status in another country and who subsequently claim asylum in the UK.
	Iraq, Turkey, Iran, Somalia and Sudan were the top five nationalities subject to third country/Dublin action in the last six months of 2003. This means that other EU member states are properly responsible to consider the asylum claim of the individuals concerned.
	Any individuals identified under these processes may be returned to the safe third country identified as responsible for them under existing immigration law.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Hong Kong

Bill Rammell: The latest report on the implementation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong was published today and copies have been placed in the Library of the House. A copy of the report is also available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website www.fco.gove.uk. The report covers the period from 1 July to 31 December 2003 and includes a foreword by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary. I commend the report to the House.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Iraq

Hilary Benn: I have placed in the Libraries of both Houses a copy of DFID's interim country assistance plan for Iraq. It sets out how DFID aims to contribute to the reconstruction of Iraq in the period up to March 2006. I have also decided to make an initial contribution of £65 million—US$120 million—to the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq, mged by the World Bank and United Nations, out of the resources pledged by the United Kingdom for the reconstruction of Iraq at the Madrid donors conference in October 2003, which I outlined in my written statement of 14 October 2003, column 9–10 WS.
	Saddam Hussein's tyranny led to a significant increase in poverty and Iraq was isolated from the rest of the world, including its own region, for much of his rule. In many respects Iraq's social and economic indicators now resemble those of a low-income country rather than a major oil producer. But Iraq's abundant human and natural resources offer the potential for a rapid return to relative prosperity, if the right conditions are created in the short and medium term.
	Against this background, DFID's objectives for the next two years are to support: rapid, sustainable and equitable economic growth; effective and accountable governance; and social and political cohesion and stability.
	To work towards these goals DFID will focus on three levels:
	Internationally: by supporting the United Nations and World Bank International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI), assisting the Ministry of Planning and Development Co-operation, and continuing dialogue with other donors on the co-ordination and effectiveness of assistance to Iraq.
	Nationally: by funding projects which benefit the poor, promote an inclusive political process and economic reform, and strengthen public administration. Examples include helping the growth of small and medium-sized businesses; setting up a fund to support the participation of citizens, parties and interest groups in the political process; and technical assistance to Iraq's public administration system.
	In southern Iraq: by funding projects to reduce poverty and helping to restore the area's administrative and political links with Baghdad so that it can benefit from Iraq's national development efforts.
	At the Madrid donors conference, the United Kingdom pledged a total of £544 million for the period from April 2003 to March 2006, a significant proportion of which would be channelled through the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI). The allocation of our initial contribution between the UN and the World Bank Trust Funds will be decided shortly. Any further DFID contributions to the Funds will be considered in the light of the effectiveness of their operations and their need for additional funding.
	A total of over $32 billion was pledged to Iraq at the Madrid conference. These pledges, together with a substantial reduction in Iraq's debt, which should be negotiated this year, will provide a sound basis for the country's initial reconstruction. If the right steps are taken now, and the political situation in the country is stabilised, much of Iraq's longer term investment needs should be met by commercial loans, foreign direct investment and its own resources. Iraq's human capital, and its oil reserves of about $2,500 billion at current prices, should enable it to meet its future needs without significant external grant assistance.
	The country assistance plan is also available on the DFID website: www.dfid.gov.uk

DEFENCE

Iraq (Campaign Medal)

Adam Ingram: I am pleased to announce that Her Majesty has graciously approved the detailed qualifying criteria for the award of a Campaign Medal for recent operations in Iraq. I have laid the Command Paper instituting the Iraq Campaign Medal in Parliament today.

Supplementary Estimates

Adam Ingram: Subject to Parliamentary approval of any necessary supplementary estimate, the Ministry of Defence Departmental expenditure limits will be increased by £506,795,000 from £30,792,381,000 to £31,299,176,000. Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table:
	
		1000s
		
			   New DEL 
			  Change Voted Non-voted Total 
		
		
			 Resource 342,500 31,866,919 448,247 32,315,166 
			 Capital -35,705 6,401,972 19,925 6.421,897 
			 Depreciation(1) 200,000 -7,337,887 -100,000 -7,437,887 
			 Total 506,795 30,931,004 368,172 31,299,176 
		
	
	(1) Depreciation, which forms part of Resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
	The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from:
	The transfer of £116,550,000 from Capital to Resource DEL.
	An increase in RfR2 of £231 million Resource DEL for military operations.
	A transfer of £5 million Resource DEL from FCO in respect of the Global Conflict Prevention Pool.
	A transfer of £910,000 from DFID in respect of the Conflict Prevention Pool for programmes in sub-Saharan Africa.
	A transfer of £11,200,000 Resource DEL to the DTI in support of dual-use aero-engine technology programmes.
	A transfer of £305,000 Resource DEL from the DWP to the Veterans Agency relating to a change in allowances.
	A transfer of £120,000 Resource DEL to the Single Intelligence Account relating to electricity for a shared site.
	A transfer of £55,000 Resource DEL from the Home Office in respect of the Voluntary Opportunities Matched Funding Project.
	An increase in the Non-budget items of £147,541,000 arising from changes in provision values related to the change in the Treasury Discount Rate.
	An increase in Resource Appropriations in Aid of £157,579,000.
	The change in the capital element of the DEL arises from:
	A transfer of £116,550,000 from capital DEL to resource DEL as a result of budgetary re-balancing.
	An increase in RfR2 of £78 million capital DEL for military operations.
	A transfer of £5,500,000 capital DEL from the Home Office to MoD as payment for part of the former RAF Newton site.
	A reduction in Capital DEL of £2.655,000, as a result of repaying the funding provided from the reserve in FY01/02 which was brought forward from 2003–04 for op veritas urgent operational requirements.
	An increase in non-operating Appropriations in Aid of £134,613,000.
	A profit of £17,674,000 on the disposal of fixed assets.

Ministry of Defence Votes A 2004–05

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence Votes A 2004–05 will be laid before the House on 23 February as HC 283. Votes A outlines the maximum numbers of personnel that can be retained for Service in the Armed Forces for financial year 2004–05.
	Copies of these reports will be laid in the Libraries of both Houses.